A Family Matter
by M is for Marie
Summary: Lily and James Potter found a way to save themselves and their child. Follow the family as they raise Harry into a man who could defeat Voldemort. James/Lily eventual Harry/Daphne
1. Chapter 1

**A Family Matter**

I have been told to write the books that I want to read, however, right now I am going to write the fan fiction I want to read.

If you love it, great! If you hate it, that's okay too! Like anyone on this site I always appreciate reviews and feedback.

Hope you enjoy it!

M.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not, nor will I ever, own rights to Harry Potter.

Chapter 1

It was a crisp fall day in the hamlet of Godric's Hollow. The sun was hidden behind clouds but the rain had held off enough that so that 3 young men were able to play quidditch in the hidden grove behind the safe house.

The safe house was a small unassuming cottage with a bedroom upstairs and the kitchen and living space on the main floor. The basement had long ago been converted into a safe room where none, not even a house elf, could enter without the permission of the head of the family.

Lily Potter looked down at her sleeping baby in his bassinet listening to her husband's laughter. It had been so long since any of the marauders had truly laughed like they were now. A message had come and dampened the happiness that they had had when Harry was born. They had been told that her Harry would have to face so much and suffer and possibly die to defeat the Dark Lord. Which was unacceptable.

She was Lily Evans Potter and she would not allow her child to be raised without a family. She was married to the heir of the most ancient and noble Potter family, a long forgotten branch of the Peveralls. Her mother in law was a Black. Her friends were brilliant, idiots but brilliant idiots, and she was the brightest witch of an age. Together they would find a way to save Harry from that maniac.

The wards around the house changed to inform her that James and the others had entered the perimeter of the safe house so she gently picked up Harry and carried him downstairs.

James strolled into the house and dropped a kiss on the forehead of his wife and child as he and Sirius went to the fridge to scavenge food.

"Have fun?" she asked as she vanished the mud they tracked in from her floors.

"Lily please inform your husband that you think that Alice is into me." Sirius asked through a mouthful of bread.

"Lily please inform the dog that Alice is married to Frank, has a baby, and repeatedly sent stinging hexes at his magnificent rear" James quipped after swallowing his food.

"Thank you for noticing the magnificence of my arse good sir"

"Anything for your arse my liege"

"Wormy said that he saw Jacob and Sharon Bones the other day and to inform you that Sharon also is not interested in you and asked that you stop harassing her"

"I have never harassed Sharon. That was you! You would follow her around Hogwarts like the dog you are!"

Lily left the two to their banter smiling to herself. It wasn't so long ago that she would have been exasperated by their constant noise and chatter but today was a good day. She sat down next to Remus on the couch and passed him Harry to hold. As she tucked her feet under her she noticed that Peter hadn't returned with the rest. "Where did Wormy go?" she asked the patient werewolf.

"He has a new job apparently. Apparently he has a very demanding boss and forgot that he needed to pick up potion ingredients or something." The werewolf explained. "You know how he gets, always forgetting things and always between jobs. Hopefully this sticks. He sends his love to you and Harry though."

"Good for him for going into work on a weekend instead of messing about with you lot" she smiled as Harry began to wake up and wriggle.

"I can't believe how big he is for only being around 4 months" Remus began bouncing Harry up and down on his knee making funny faces.

"Exactly 4 months thank you very much." Lily corrected smiling. "And I know; he is getting to be quite the arm work out these days. James says that I am getting 'jacked' was the word I think he used. I don't know. I honestly can't believe how much he looks like James."

"Hopefully he will have better manners than prongs" Sirius said as he came in and sat on the floor stretching his legs out.

"Says the man who talks with his mouth full. I can't imagine Aunt Walburga taught you those manners. I do know that my mother never allowed it from you." James said as he took his armchair by the fireplace.

Lily looked around at her little makeshift family. She was wary about Peter's absence, it had been happening more and more the last month. He would be here then he would be gone. James wasn't concerned though. She turned back to Remus, "Speaking of Alice and Frank, have you two seen little Neville yet? We had them over to the Manor before we had to leave but haven't seen them since then."

"I don't think anyone has seen them. I think that Mrs. Longbottom put their home under the fidelius charm." Remus replied as he passed Harry to Sirius. "Here Padfoot, it is your turn to change him."

"Is not!"

"Is too."

"Is not" Sirius pouted.

Lily sighed "it is fine Padfoot, I can change him."

Sirius stood and she reached for her son "You will not. You are going to sit and relax and Mooney and I will figure out the diaper bomb."

As the two left James turned to her. "Should we do the fidelius? It is about the only charm not on this house. You can perform it right?"

"I can, I cast it on the great hall for extra credit during my NEWT. Would you want to be the secret keeper?"

"I don't know, what if something happens when I'm out on order business or on business with my father."

"You could stay home and not go until the threat is dealt with James" Lily sighed "That is what you all have me doing."

"Lily someone needs to be here for Harry. To protect him. We have talked about this." James was right, they had discussed it. She was finished her Charms mastery and had taken a maternity leave from working with Professor Slughorn on her Potions mastery. James and Sirius were a deadly team when fighting the Dark Lord's minions. She needed to be home to feed and nurture Harry and was more than capable to protect him on her own.

"Fine. Get that damned cloak back from Dumbledore though. I don't like it not being here or with you."

"I will my love" James looked into the fire "we should have Sirius be the secret keeper. I want it to be family and they would expect it to be me or even my parents. Then he can go into hiding and we can cast the charm on his house and both locations will be protected."

"Should we ask him now?"

"No, let's keep it in the family. Were you able to talk to Sybill? Is what Albus said true? Have you contacted Aurora?"

She stood and went and knelt before him guiding his face to hers. Tears glistened in her eyes and she could see that he knew. He pulled her into his arms and held her as she quietly cried. She had contacted her old friend and had contacted the Aurora Lovegood too to see if she saw a similar future for her child. Sybill had told her the prophecy and said that she couldn't see anymore into the future of Harry. Like he had been blocked from her sight. Aurora had written that Harry could survive the attack, but only if there was a sacrifice. Someone who loved Harry and shared blood with him would have to die first. Aurora had sent a ritual to Lily with instructions. It would be Harry's best chance to live but there would be a further cost that Aurora also couldn't see.

Someone was blocking visions from the two seers and Lily wanted to know who it was and why. There were few wizards powerful enough to work such a manipulation and she did not like to think of what would happen if her suspicions were true.

"James," she began. "Aurora sent me something."

Before she could explain Sirius and Remus returned with Harry. She got off James and took her baby outside to the garden to enjoy some fresh air and allow Remus and Sirius to lift James' mood. She sat down next to her Kneazle, Hazel, who was sunning itself on the back steps. Harry began cooing and reaching for Hazel and Lily quickly moved the little boy out of reach from Hazel's tail.

She thought more on the idea of the fidelius charm. Dumbledore believed that there was a traitor amongst their friend group. The Bones and Longbottom's had gone into hiding since the births of their babies. Aurora was now pregnant and would no longer be leaving the Tower she and Xenophilius lived in. Sirius would be going into hiding from his insane family soon and Remus had a secret mission from Dumbledore he would be leaving on soon. The people she loved were leaving. This was supposed to be the happiest time in their lives and yet the dark kept her isolated.

She thought of her friends Claudia Greengrass and Lucille Davis. The two Slytherin girls she had been friends with who married within their house and now were forced to associate with Death Eaters. She knew their husbands were trying to remain neutral through this mess but were being pressured into 'falling in line'. Their own children would grow up with the likes of the Malfoys, Goyles and Crabbes if nothing was done. Claudia had written to Lily asking for advice about her pregnancy and had informed her that the Malfoy's had already proposed a marriage contract between their two unborn children. Cyrus Greengrass had been able to decline on the grounds that neither baby was born and their genders were as of yet unknown.

She thought back to her own pregnancy. James and his family had been wary when she insisted on getting an ultrasound done with a private squib doctor. It was a new technology that had become an obsession for her pregnant mind. She had wanted to know the gender. Had been unable to handle not knowing the gender of her baby. The pureblood's faces had been incredible when they first heard the heartbeat of little Harry and Charlus, stoic and grand Charlus, had tears in his eyes when he found out that it was going to be a boy.

Lily had tried to get her magical friends to go to the squib doctor to find out what the genders of their babies were going to be but all of them refused. It was expected but made Lily sad. There was this entire other world that most of the magical community would never experience. Sirius had become enamored with the muggle world that Lily showed the marauders.

She was brought out of her reminiscing by a loud crash from inside the house.

"It's fine it's fine!" James called out "Padfoot is a clumsy moron"

She came back inside with Harry and saw that the hideous lamp Petunia had gifted them had shattered. She laughed. "Well at least we no longer have to suffer through owning that monstrosity"

"See James I did you lot a favour"

"We could just fix it with reparo" Remus suggested.

"Don't you dare" Lily glared at him. "It broke there is nothing we can do."

James laughed and kissed her. He took Harry and began twirling the giggling baby around singing "The evil lamp is gone! The evil lamp is gone!"

Padfoot and Mooney left leaving the Potters to alone. The young parents looked at each other and silently agreed to let their worries go for a few more hours. While Lily prepared a roast and potatoes James sprawled on the floor with Harry entertaining the baby with little soft plush animals and a fake cauldron that would shoot up different coloured smoke.

It was a quiet night for the Potters with their friends gone and it was Lily's favourite kind of night. She could pretend all was well and that all of her loved ones were safe. She was 20. She was completely in love and had an adorable baby boy who was the joy of her life. She lost herself in her cooking and the sounds of James playing with Harry.

That night as she put Harry down in his bassinet and went to bed she smiled. Today had been a good day. It was a different Halloween than they had had last year, it had been her last drunken night before her and James would quietly start trying for a baby. She had been convinced to dress up as a doe and go out with the marauders who dress to honour their animagus forms. Today in honour of Halloween she had tried to dress Harry in a little stag costume but he had refused to wear the antlers and had smeared the little nose she'd drawn on.

In the morning as they sat down to toast and tea James read in the Daily Prophet that the Bones family had been found dead. Death Eaters attacked the couple in their home on October 28th and the family was found on the 30th. Their newborn daughter was added to the ever lengthening list of orphans and would live with her aunt and godmother Amelia.

"Fuck" James muttered.

Lily turned to him and raised an eyebrow. He passed her the paper and her heart stopped. The Bones had been in hiding for a month. How had they been found so quickly?

"Lily…" James trailed off at the sight of her face.

"Floo your family James. We need to do the charm and make a plan. Today."

She prayed that Aurora was right. She prayed that the ones she loved would be safe. She looked at the small child in her arms.

When this is all over will she have done enough, will she and James survive to raise their baby?

 **AN:**

So this is the first chapter. I hope you liked it. This story will follow Harry through his Hogwarts years but the first part will be focused on the Potters as a family. Every chapter will not be in Lily's perspective.

This is how I am breaking down the family.

Charlus Potter and Dorea Black = James Parents

So Sirius is James First Cousin as Orin Black and Dorea were brother and sister.

If you have any further questions, feel free to PM me or Review.

M.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

For the first time in two months in two months Harry and James Potter travelled to Bowater Castle. James stood outside of the gates, the Potter Crest mounted in front of him. He pricked his thumb on the talon of the griffin and pricked Harry's thumb on the talon of the Dragon. He shivered and Harry cried as the blood wards accepted them onto the property. On the other side of the now open gate his mother waited for him. "Hi Mum" James sighed taking in the view of the castle where he had grown up.

"Hand over my grandson James and no one gets hurt" Dorea demanded. Chuckling James passed his mother his still fussing son and kissed her on the cheek.

"Is dad home?" he asked.

"He is in the study. He has been working all morning; I'm sure seeing you will be a welcome break." His mother answered without taking her eyes off of his son. James knew that she missed having Lily, Harry, and himself living here, but Dumbledore claimed they would be safer in Godric's Hollow in the safe house.

"He probably will have me working all afternoon and neither of us will get a break" James rolled his eyes and apperated into his father's study; leaving his mother to dote on Harry and explore the grounds.

James found his father standing at the window watching Dorea and Harry approach the house. "James, it is about time. I have these documents that need your attention. The young Malfoy is following in his father's despicable footsteps.

"Dad wait, I didn't come here for that." Charlus Potter turned around and took in his son. James knew he looked more than tired. He felt defeated and it was clear from the look on his father's face it showed.

"What has happened James?"

"I assume you read about the Bones?" James asked as he took a seat across from his father's desk.

"Of course I have. What about them?" Charlus replied gruffly. James knew this was his father's way of suppressing emotion. The Potters and Bones families had been allies and friends for generations.

"They had gone into hiding only a month ago. Jacob had been considering joining the order after what had happened to his parents. Dumbledore had set them up in a similar safe house as we are in. We all helped them move in, get settled, and we put up the wards ourselves. I don't understand how it was possible for them to be found but it has us spooked dad." James put his head in his hands. Had there been anything he could have done to better protect them? Ward's he forgot to put up?

"It is not your fault. I don't like Dumbledore, I have never hidden that from you, and I do not like his Order of the Phoenix but I do not begrudge you wanting to protect your family. You are a Potter. You do what you feel is right. You did all you could for the Jacob and Sharon. They would not blame you. Now Amelia is taking in the girl is she not?"

"She is"

"Good. She will be raised by family. She will be safe. Amelia is intelligent and capable. I have faith in the young woman." Charlus sat behind his desk and observed his son. "It's not just the Bones is it? Is it that damned prophecy again?"

"I know you don't have any patience for divination and I know you don't trust Dumbledore but the prophecy exists. Lily wrote Sybill and Aurora and they both confirmed that the Dark Lord is coming for Harry."

"But the original prophecy does not mention Harry by name. It could be the Longbottom boy. You know that." Charlus argued. What time of maniac would target a baby?

"Dumbledore's mole confirmed that Harry is the target. Aurora and Sybill can no longer see Harry's future they say that it is like someone is blocking their vision of Harry. What do you think it means Dad?"

"I think that you are not safe James. But your mother and I worry about that any time you and Sirius are not within these walls."

"These day's your worry doesn't seem so overbearing."

"That is because you are a good father, I would know as I am also an excellent father." James saw a flicker of humour in his father's dark eyes and briefly smiled.

"We need your help."

"Anything," Charlus said seriously. "What can we do?"

"Can you assemble the family? Anyone of our blood who is loyal, keep it to Blacks and Potters, I would say the Evans but after Lily's parents died last year I doubt her sister would even tolerate being in the same county as us."

"Why do we need this assembly? If word got out that we would all be in the same place at the same time we would be attacked. They would come here."

"We won't have it here. We can find somewhere else. Somewhere unassuming where it would either be unremarkable to see us or extremely hidden from anyone who might be looking. Perhaps we could go to a forgotten Black property? Something Bella, Cissy, and Reg haven't heard of or forgotten about?" James urged.

"But why James, what good will this do?"

"I don't want to say too much until we know more. Lily was given a ritual from a trusted friend. It could save Harry."

"That is enough. I will send you a message when your mother and I have contacted everyone. James I know you believe them to be family but if we are to meet like this not even Remus and Peter can know. It would be too risky if anyone found out. Promise me."

"I promise. Thank you Dad." James stood up "I suppose I should go find mom and remind her that 4 month olds can't eat sweets yet."

Chuckling Charlus rose too and clapped his hand on James' shoulder. "You can always come back if you don't feel safe there James. I would even put up with that damned cat again."

"Thanks Dad but Lily is going to do the fidelius soon. We just need to agree on a secret keeper. Also she would like me to inform you that 'that damned cat is a kneazle and is very loyal and intelligent' and that 'you only dislike him because he ratted you out when you single handily ate Dorea's birthday cake'." James laughed as he quoted his wife and left his father stewing in the study.

He walked along the halls of Bowater half looking for his mother and half reminiscing about his childhood hiding in nooks and crevices and throwing himself and a practice broom off the top of the tallest tower only to be summoned back and immobilized by his mother every time.

Giving up on the search he called one of the family house elves. "Emmy"

*POP*

"What can Emmy do for Mister James Sir? Is you needing food? Is you needing your room?" The small house elf squeaked. Emmy had the customary bat ears that all house elves, a round nose, and large purple eyes. She wore a crisp white pillow case underneath the black apron bearing the red, blue, and gold crest of the Potter family.

"None of that Emmy, I was just wondering if you knew where my mother is hiding." James asked.

"Mrs Potter Mam is telling Emmy to tell Mister James sir that he will not take mister wee Harry away and that he is a bad boy for not visiting his mother." Emmy squeaked trying to look stern.

"Thank you for passing on the message Emmy, now can you please inform me as to where Harry is if you cannot tell me where my mother is" James asked trying to find a loophole.

"Mister wee Harry is in the garden sir" and with a *pop* Emmy was gone.

James made his way down the grand staircase and into the ballroom. Through the patio windows he could see his mother playing with Harry. He stepped through the open glass door and sat next to his mother.

"So I have been betrayed by my own elf. She was supposed to shame you and not tell you where I was." She smiled at her only child. Her disappointment at being found mostly faked.

"You will be happy to know that Emmy did shame me and did not betray your location. She just told me where Harry was."

"So I was foiled yet again by your ability to find a loophole. Who raised you to be so cunning? Surely it wasn't that Gryffindor father of yours." Dorea quipped.

"I must have also been raised by a beautiful and kind Slytherin. Who else would help me get in to and out of so much trouble?"

"Speaking of trouble, what did you and your father talk about? You look worse now than you did when you arrived." Her eyebrows furrowed in concern but James did not think he could go through it all again. He was desperate for some sense of normality.

"Just that we need to have a family assembly, you'll get to see everyone again soon."

"Do not try and distract me James. I am your mother, I am not an imbecile. I know when you're trying to be evasive."

"Please Mum, can you just ask Dad later? Harry and I should go; I don't want Lily to worry." James and Dorea stood and she passed her grandson to him.

"Don't waste this time with worry James. Remember to enjoy the time you have together. You all are so loved, please remember that." His mother kissed him on the cheek and kissed Harry in his nose and led them to the fireplace in the entrance hall. "Send our love to Lily and please write often. We worry you know."

"I know Mum, see you soon." He grabbed a pinch of floo powder from the bowl mounted to the wall and said "Godric Cottage".

And with that he was gone.

Lily was pacing in the living room waiting for James and Harry to return. She missed Bowater Castle and had wanted to go with her two boys but had needed some alone time without any distractions to research the ritual Aurora had sent her. She was thankful that Professor McGonagall had convinced her to take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes in 3rd year. The ritual was a complicated knot of archaic magic. She had briefly debated asking Bathilda Bagshot to come over and lend her expertise but wanted to keep their knowledge of the ritual secret for now. Anyone can be found. Anyone can be tortured. Just look at the Bones family.

Lily now knew the steps and sacrifices needed to complete the ritual. After unraveling the complex instructions and warning she had want she needed.

She would need to draw 3 runes on Harry and one other person, the sacrifice. This was an old magic. Old magic was based on the premise of power coming at a cost; to protect one life another had to die in its place.

They would need a plan. They would need to choose amongst themselves who would die and who would raise Harry. They needed to arrange for portraits to be made and saved for Harry at Bowater and the Manor in Wales so that he always had a piece of them if they perished and he survived. She needed to ensure that he could never go to Petunia and her walrus of a husband. She needed enough time to put their affairs in order.

She had letters ready to be sent out to the goblins at Gringotts, Minerva, The Longbottoms, and Petunia. She had the runes memorized and had practiced until she was positive they were perfect.

Lily was just in the midst of trying to make a plan for what would happen to Hazel if they died when the fireplace flared green and James strode over to her and kissed her deeply. "You had your 'over thinking things' look" he murmured against her lips.

She laughed, "You, my love, are a big headed idiot."

"You're the one who married a big headed idiot, what does that make you?" James said with his trademark smirk.

"I suppose that makes me a fool."

"You could never be a fool" James handed her Harry and went to grab a bottle of Butterbeer.

She followed him to the kitchen and perched on their table. "What did Charlus say?"

"That your cat is damned" he grinned.

Rolling her eyes she smiled. Charlus had always hated cats. "That was expected. What did he say about the meeting? Is he willing to call it? Did he press you for a reason?"

"He said yes, he will call it, and he pressed but backed off after I gave him a vague idea. All in all he was very Dad about." He took a swig of his drink, "He doesn't want us to tell anyone outside of the family."

"That was the plan wasn't it?" Lily asked as she rocked a sleepy Harry in her arms.

"We can't tell Moony or Wormtail" He looked dejected.

"Oh James" she sighed. They had all been warned that there could be a traitor in their small group of friends but James had refused to accept it. He would die before betraying his friend and believed that they would do the same for him.

"If they find out about this they will think that I believe one of them is the traitor. They would never betray us Lil. Never."

"James if they find out, you tell them it was blood only. That it wasn't your call. They can't expect you to go against Charlus when it is something like this. Everyone wants Harry to be safe; this is just another way to ensure his safety." Lily tried to reason with James but she knew he would never like going behind his friends back. "Did Charlus say when we would be able to meet?"

"He didn't. Soon hopefully, it could take some time though. All of the loyal Potters and Blacks gathering in one place could draw _his_ attention. There either needs to be a plausible reason for us all to gather or go to a place that is untraceable. They can't know we are looking into the ritual. Speaking of, what did you find out?"

"It is old magic James. It will cost a life to save a life. I can do the runes but one of us or someone we love has to die so that Harry can live."

As James pulled her into his arms and just held on to his wife and son his mother's words echoed in his head.

 _Remember to enjoy the time you have together. You all are so loved, please remember that._

 **AN:**

 **I won't always have time for two updates in one day but I am happy to do it when I can. Expect a bit of a time jump in the next chapter.**

 **M.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you for the support and reviews!**

Chapter 3

Lily stared at herself in the mirror pondering. She was wearing a gold dress, should she pair that with black pumps or red stilettos. She had already donned the silver earrings Dorea had gifted her for Christmas a few days ago. Now for the shoes...

"boo!" James whispered in her ear.

Shrieking Lily whipped around to her idiot of a husband and began to beat him with the shoes she was holding. "You" Whack "Bloody" Whack "Asshole!" Whack "Why" Whack "Would" Whack "You" Whack "Do" Whack "That" Whack.

James just grinned at her. "You had your thinking about shoes face on; no one should think that hard about shoes." He leaned into "You also look utterly ravishing when you're angry."

Lily fumed and grabbed the red stilettos. He would be sorry; she now had weapons on her feet for when he misbehaved.

"And look, my distracting you helped you choose a pair of shoes so we can leave. I'm so helpful." James ducked out of the room before her unused black pumps could hit him in the head. "With an arm like that, it is no wonder you never made chaser!" He called as he went back downstairs.

Lily sighed. She really did marry a moron. Damn him for wearing her good sense down with 7 years of pestering. If she was being honest with herself, not James, she could admit, not to James, that he had distracted her from that task at hand. It was the annual Potter New Years Ball at Bowater Castle. The family had had to wait until now to meet to discuss the ritual.

Invitations had been sent out for the ball inviting ministry heads, foreign dignitaries, fellow Lords of the Grey Wizengamot Faction, reasonably moderate members of the respective Dark and Light Factions, and of course the family's good friends. At this ball, it would be expected that all members of the Potter and Black families who were in good standing with Dorea and Charlus would attend. It was the perfect cover for the family to be in one place at one time.

Lily was wary though, there would be so many people attending the ball, any one of them could be an informant to the Dark Lord. Charlus had guaranteed to her and James that he had placed wards around the property that would incapacitate any Death Eaters who bore the Dark Mark. This message had been on the invitations as well which caused the likes of Lady Longbottom to leave her son and daughter in law for an evening to see her old friends as well as deterred family members such as Regulus and Bellatrix Black from being able to attend the festivities. There could still be spies though, and there would be reporters. Damned reporters always swarmed the Potter family's events to try and get a glimpse into the inner workings of the notoriously private family.

Taking one last look in the mirror Lily decided this was as good as it was going to get and went downstairs to meet her three dates. Sirius was slumped in an arm chair with Harry, both of the black haired boys looked upset being in dress robes. James, however, was smirking at her from his spot on the front stool. Bloody idiot. "What is wrong with the dog?" She asked nodding towards Sirius.

"Uncle Orion and Aunt Cassiopeia will be there tonight."

"Is he disappointed he won't be the best looking Black there tonight? Andromeda will also be there."

"He is more disappointed because he will have to behave like a fully functioning adult."

"So pouting with our baby is his way of being like an adult? Sounds about right."

"I hate you both." Sirius said as he stood and passed Harry off to his laughing friends.

"On a more serious note, will Cassiopeia be invited to the meeting?" Lily asked as she adjusted Harry's little lapels.

"No, Andromeda has been given permission to discuss the meeting with Cassiopeia alone. Neither of her sisters are attending and we need to have some people out of the meeting to avoid it looking suspicious. With two son in laws and a daughter as death eaters Aunt Cassiopeia is well suited to distract the darker attendees." James explained.

"Will anyone distract the light?" Sirius asked looking in the mirror and trying to fix his tangled hair.

"Minerva will be there along with Flitwick and Slughorn. Hogwarts professors always distract people. Also Fleamont and Marie's young twins are going to performing a skit for the crowd and then Dad hired a new band called the Weird Sisters to perform a few songs. We will sneak out as the Weird Sisters go on."

"Is it time?" Lily asked walking towards the fireplace.

"Indeed." And with that the trio and Harry of course, disappeared in a whirl of green flame.

Bowater Castle was lit up. James and Lily looked out the window of Charlus's study and watched the guests begin to walk up the path. Sirius had had to leave the young family and go down and enter as a guest. Only Potter's could bypass the press line that was formed up the path to the gates. Once at the gates only 1 reporter, Xenophilius Lovegood, would be permitted on the grounds. The photo's he took he would show to the Potters and would then have license to sell to whomever he would like along with his 'Potter approved' notes. Xenophilius and his wife are currently saving for their own printing press so that they can put out their own paper. Lily and James knew that the gold he received from doing the Potter events would soon help their friends achieve their dream.

A few years prior the Potters had had an issue with a young reporter named Rita who, though unseen and uninvited, wrote a scathing article about the Potter's annual New Year's ball. She had implied that James and Sirius were in a romantic relationship and had somehow taken pictures of the two 17 year olds drunkenly dancing while Lily, who Rita called the Muggleborn Beard, watched on. She had also went on to highlight the evidence of incest in the Black and consequentially now Potter family even though the Blacks had largely stopped marrying each other and the Potters never had. Statements had to be released and Rita lost a lawsuit against the Potters and had to make a public apology. But the damage was done and as such for the next ball the Potters included anti animagus and anti disillusionment charms. They also invited Alistair Moody as a guest and asked him to keep his spectacular eye out for any people in invisibility cloaks. They don't know how Rita had gotten in that first time but she was unable to write about the ball again.

"We should find your parents; you know how they like to make an entrance." Lily murmured grabbing James's hand. The couple left to go to the corridor before the Grand staircase where they found Fleamont his wife and 3 daughters.

"Uncle! How is it you are always surrounded by such stunning women?" James asked as he shook Fleamont's hand.

"Marie, it is so lovely to see you" Lily said as she kissed Fleamont's wife on the cheek.

Harry was taken from her arms by James's cousin Eloide and cooed over by her and her sisters. Lily smiled as James and Fleamont exchanged pleasantries.

"Fleamont has mentioned that your little boy is the cause for this meeting. I do hope everything is alright" Marie said softly.

Lily gave a slight shake of her head to Marie. They had all been instructed not to discuss the upcoming meeting in case there were people spying.

"How is France Marie? Your youngest must be attending school soon." James interjected winking at Noelle and Nancy who giggled at their handsome older cousin.

"They begin in the fall. I don't know what we will do with such a quiet house."

Charlus and Dorea entered followed by his mother Amelia. It was nights like these where the family felt the loss of the middle Potter son. Edward had been killed in a covert mission to try and find the Dark Lord's headquarters. According to Edward's superior, he had been killed by Voldemort himself.

"Is everyone ready?" Charlus asked. "Good, get into the formation please."

Charlus and Dorea positioned themselves at the front of the group with James, Lily, and Harry behind them. Fleamont took his mothers arm to escort her down and Marie and Eloide guided Noelle and Nancy. With a nod from a servant who was stationed at the end of the hall the Potters walked through the corridor and down the grand staircase to greet their waiting guests.

"What is said in this room cannot be repeated to anyone outside of the family without my approval as Lord Potter. To do so will be akin to breaking a magical oath. Your magic, and possibly your life, is at stake. If even an ounce of you feels that you cannot abide by that leave now. I will not have some dunderhead ruining this operation by their inability to keep their mouth shut." Lily and James shot looks around the study at Charlus's words. No one moved. No one wavered.

It was time to begin.

"Would everyone please direct their attention to my son; James, the floor is yours." All eyes turned toward the 20-year-old father.

"As some of you may know, Lily and I received news a few months after Harry's birth that he had become a target of the Dark Lord. An official prophecy was witnessed by Albus Dumbledore when he was interviewing a professor for the divination position at Hogwarts. This interview, and consequently a portion of the prophecy, was overheard by a spy of the Dark Lord's. Dumbledore refuses to disclose the identity of the spy even to members of the Order of the Phoenix." James looked at Sirius, they had suspicions about who what the slimy sneak but had yet to find proof. "Lily and I have been in contact with two known seers in regards to the prophecy. Both have seen Harry being the target of the Dark Lord and one of our friends has provided a ritual that could save Harry. Lily, being brilliant as ever, has sorted out the parameters of the ritual and will share the specifics with you now"

He squeezed her shoulder as he sat down and took Harry from her arms. Looking over at his dad he saw Charlus nod once. Everything was going according to plan.

Lily stood on shaking knees. James's parents had been fairly welcoming to a muggleborn marrying the heir to the Potter Lordship however not all the members of the family were as receptive. Clutching her notes on the ritual she began her explanation. "Okay. So for this to work we need to have a common understanding of the power of love, particularly in ancient rituals. Love is considered a type of magic is something that is universal in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds and as such cannot be ignored."

"You're starting to sound like Dumbledore Lils." Sirius quipped with a grin. His father shot him a dirty look for interrupting.

"It is an Old Magic Sirius if you ever had paid attention in Runes maybe that big head of yours would have retained it and you could stop interrupting Lily." Andromeda snapped. Tensions between the cousins remained high since Andromeda had run away severing ties with all Blacks save Dorea.

"Children," Orion Black said dangerously. "Kindly allow the young Mrs Potter to continue."

"Thank you, Lord Black. As Andromeda mentioned, love is an Old Magic. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the practice, it means that there is a cost to the magic. What my friend sent me was a form of blood magic which has been classified 'Dark' by the ministry for rather idiotic reasons. However, I felt that you should all know that by potentially participating in this we will be branching into the 'Dark Arts'; if anyone is unwilling to be associated with this ritual leave now." Again no one moved.

"Dear, would you please share with the group the prophecies from your two seers; that way we all know the stakes at hand." Dorea gently suggested noting that both James and Lily had refrained from saying the words specifically.

"The witnessed prophecy reads that 'the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.' It is Dumbledore's understanding that the spy only heard the last line of the prophecy but we are unable to verify that. The second seer's vision was not witnessed and as such we only have a description from a letter. It does not reside in the Hall of Prophecies according to Uncle Fleamont." James watched his family's faces shift from interest to horror as he recited the prophecy.

"It is true there is only one prophecy regarding Harry in the hall and that prophecy was indeed witnessed by Dumbledore, who else has so many initials in their name," Fleamont interjected with a grin. James's uncle was Charlus's youngest brother and became an unspeakable while his elder brothers respectively went into Politics and The Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"What the second seer wrote to me was that there was a way for Harry to survive the attack from The Dark Lord. However, she warned me that that calibre of Old Magic would come at a steep cost. To save a life from Death's grasp we must sacrifice a life. The steps for the ritual are rather basic, 3 runes must be drawn on the sacrifice and on Harry, and when the time comes the sacrifice cannot raise their wand or fight. They must go with Death and greet him as an old friend. The seer is more insightful than most and had written in her letter that the Potter's should be well suited for that last step. The key component for this ritual is that Harry shares blood with the sacrifice and that the sacrifice loves Harry." Lily needed to use the word sacrifice; she needed to keep the word distant from the family in front of her.

"So one of us must die to protect your son," Orion said, not unkindly. After all, Harry was only a baby and was the heir to the Potter Lordship. With so few families surviving this war it would be a damn shame for a child of Black and Potter blood to die before he could prove himself.

"Yes, however, there is another thing you must be aware of; the second seer mentioned that this ritual would come at a further cost of which she could not see."

"Beyond one of us dying you mean?" Fleamont and Marie's daughter Elodie asked in a thick French accent.

Lily looked at the 17-year-old beauty sadly. "Yes Elodie, beyond that. Both seers sense darkness in Harry's future but they cannot see anything. They both claim that they can neither see the Dark Lord nor Harry past the day the Dark Lord marks Harry. I believe that they are being blocked by a powerful wizard. This could be the Dark Lord himself or it could be Dumbledore. James and I can think of no one else who would seek to meddle in this."

"I thought that Dumbledore and his Order had you eating out of the palm of his hand" Orion sniffed.

"Lord Black. When I married into this family I vowed to put family loyalty first. I vowed that I would not be blinded by Dark or Light Factions but to help my husband one day lead the family on the path of neutrality so that we can always fight for justice and truth. I am here to protect my son and I am here proposing that we do Dark magic to achieve our goals. I have been called the brightest witch of my generation. If any of you honestly believe that my husband or I would blindly follow the leader of the Light Faction, the man who consistently keeps information from us and prevents our fighting to our fullest extent, you can leave." Fire danced in her eyes as she spoke to the room. James smirked at the power radiating off of his wife. He couldn't help thinking that she was extraordinarily sexy when pissed off and powerful.

"Uncle, Dumbledore is refusing to inform us of who the spy is in our own ranks and refusing to tell us the spy that the Dark Lord used to gain the snippet of the prophecy he heard. We do not blindly trust in this family. Surely you know that considering how many of your family members are not here." Charlus looked proud at James's words. Though James and Lily were young he knew they would lead this family well.

"Regardless, our relationship with Dumbledore is not the topic of this meeting. James and I have agreed for the most part that one of us should be the sacrifice. As many of you can attest to the love a parent has for their child is unparalleled. I believe I should be the sacrifice as James is the heir to the Potter line."

"I disagree, Dad is only 42 and mom is only 40 they are young enough to help Lily raise Harry into a good heir for the Potter line. A child needs his mother." James interrupted Lily before she could convince them all to allow her to sacrifice herself.

"A young boy needs his father more than his mother James" Lily snapped back. They had been having this argument for weeks. The only thing they agreed on was that they could not as someone else to sacrifice themselves.

The arguing couple looked around to their family to see stunned faces looking back at them.

"You can't be serious," Eloide said looking at her cousin and his wife.

James looked to Sirius expecting the familiar 'he's not Sirius, I am' line but all he saw was horror on his oldest friend's face.

They were all silent for a minute as the family really took in what the cost of saving Harry would be.

"Absolutely not" All eyes turned to Arcturus Black as he softly spoke for the first time. "Neither of you are sacrificing your lives, not when there is so many of us."

"Grandfather, we cannot ask any of you to die," James said slightly stunned.

"Why ever not?" Amelia Potter asked her grandson imperiously. "You are not the only ones capable of love my dear."

"I know that but-"

"We cannot burden you all with this-"

"ENOUGH" Charlus roared. "Enough."

Dorea looked at him sadly, knowing what was coming.

"I will do it. Orion, you will guide James and aid him as he begins his Lordship, Dorea you will help Lily and James with Harry. Arcturus you will use your other children and grandchildren to spy on the Dark Lord for the family and Mother you will connect with Minerva and have her spy on Dumbledore for the family. Fleamont you will spy in the ministry for us and Marie you will monitor international relations. James, Lily, Sirius, Andromeda and Eloide your fight has now changed. You will not follow Dumbledore. You will not follow the Dark Lord or his followers. You are the future of two great families and you will now act as such. As Head of this family, I have made the decision. Now if you will excuse my wife and I, we have preparations to make. Good evening."

 **AN:**

 **I was going to go more into the ball and the social aspect of it, but it has taken me so long to get this chapter up that I felt I had what was most important to the story.**

 **Happy Saturday!**

 **M.**


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the wait! Thank you for all the follows, favourites, and reviews!

M.

Chapter 4

James and Lily had taken Harry from the Potter ball almost immediately after the meeting. After Charlus's decree neither of the young Potter parents felt up to socializing and pretending that their world wasn't crashing down around them. They entered the small cottage which had been their home for the past few months.

"How could he do this?" James asked as he threw his coat on to the loveseat, "How could he decide to take the fall without consulting any of us. That entire meeting was supposed to be a consultation not a fucking decision."

Lily scowled at his language but didn't say anything. She didn't know what else could have been done. She was ready to lay down her own life to save Harry and James and she knew that James was ready to lay down his life as well. She also knew that neither her, nor James, would have accepted the other dying for the other. But Charlus, he was the head of the family. His death would put the Potters on a new path with James as the head of the family, something that was not supposed to happen for many more years. "What can we do? This is a family issue; he is the head of the family. His word is law for us."

"There is nothing we can do now thanks to that old man."

"We are going to have to go back; maybe we can talk him out of it. Maybe we can find another way to save Harry." Lily said as she sat down on the sofa with a sleeping Harry in her arms.

"Lily we don't know when _he_ will attack, we don't know how Dumbledore might interfere, we don't even know how Voldemort found out about the prophecy or who the traitor on our side is. It took us 5 months to come up with this plan, what if we don't have time."

"Use your mirror to call Sirius, have him come over here and we can perform the fidelius charm tonight. That might buy us some time." James left to go to their bedroom where the mirror was. Lily sighed. This was such a mess. Why did it have to be them?

Sirius Black was possibly drunk and in a garden. No. He was possibly in a garden but definitely drunk. There could be no doubts about that. He didn't mean to get drunk but these things can happen. You put a dashingly handsome gentleman at a party, throw in some horrifying news, a couple of pretty witches, and a dash of fire whiskey and there you have it - drunk. These things really couldn't be helped.

"Padfoot"

Perhaps, Sirius mused, he had had more than a _dash_ of fire whiskey. It could have been 2 dashes, possibly 7, but who was counting. He wouldn't be this drunk if it had simply been a dash.

"Paaaadfooooot"

Maybe there had been a dash for each lovely lady. Maybe if he remembered how many ladies he tried to woo tonight perhaps he could figure out how many dashes of fire whiskey he had had...had had had...had.

"Dammit Sirius look in your pocket." Sirius started at the noise.

Wait a minute. What was James doing in his pocket? Had he been shrunken down again? Sirius patted his pockets trying to free his best friend. "Prongs where are you! Who shrunk you! I'll duel the bastard who dared to attack you!"

"I haven't been shrunk you nob, I'll calling you on the mirrors. Find your mirror." Why would James be trapped in a mirror Sirius wondered. It was possible he might be too drunk. Again, these things can happen. Checking his breast pockets he pulled out a mirror.

"How did you get trapped in the mirror Jamesies? Do you need a helping hand? A hero?" Sirius asked. Maybe if he smashed the mirror James would be free.

"For fuck sake Sirius where are you"

"I think I'm in a drunk." Sirius said looking around. There were flowers and trees and he was laying on some very comfortable grass.

"Let's try that again. Where are you?"

"I told you I'm in a garden. Now who is the drunk one?"

"Still you asshole" James sighed in exasperation. "Come by the house when you have sobered up enough to apparate."

Sirius lay back down on the soft grass. Sobriety did not sound as much fun as being drunk. Now had it only been one dash?

James went back down to the living room where Lily and Harry were nestled on the couch.

Lily looked up and asked, "Did I hear yelling?"

"He is too drunk to find his way over here. I told him to come as soon as he sobers up but Merlin knows when that will be. How is Harry? I'm afraid this wasn't the most spectacular ball for his first time."

"Should we have done more to introduce him to pureblood society? He is going to take your place as the heir to the Potter House and will be a half-blood amongst purebloods. He is going to have so much pressure on him after this Voldemort business is through."

"He will have a different debut later when he is 15. That one will be more important. For now, anyone who matters knows that we have more pressing issues on our plate. We went, people saw him, and he was adorable. That is all that is required for now." James sat down and put his head in his hands. Today was too much. It was all too much.

"James you know what Dorea told us when this all started. We need to relax, we need to live, and these are going to be days with Harry that we will regret if we do not live our lives with love and happiness. _He_ wins if we lose sight of what matters. The attack won't be tomorrow, it could not be for years. So let us live our lives as we normally would with perhaps a bit more caution."

James looked up and smiled weakly at his wife. "You're right. It is just a lot. When we graduated Hogwarts I did not see our lives leading to this while we were 20. Don't get me wrong, I love you and Harry more than anything else in this world. I just didn't think we would be in hiding from _Him."_

"You always had every intention to fight, so did I. We were always going to have to hide James."

"But it didn't have to end up like this. Harry didn't have to be a target. We hid you so carefully when you were pregnant. No one outside of our circle knew about Harry until he was born."

"I know love. But this is our life and we need to live it."

James and Lily sat in silence lost in their own thoughts. Lily couldn't help but thinking about the plan, thinking about how to save everyone. They needed to know who the traitor was - then perhaps they could make a plan. If they could plan for the attack...

"James?" He looked up. "What if we involved Sev?"

He was silent for a long moment. "I'm sorry but did you just suggest using a Death Eater to save our son? A Death Eater who hates both Harry and I?"

"What if we turned him over to our side?"

"The only way to get him to leave the Dark Lord would be to offer him you, and even then it might not be enough."

"What if we used Dumbledore, couldn't we manipulate him as he has tried to manipulate us? What if Dumbledore thinks he is offering you and Harry as a sacrifice to stop _Him._ I'm sure I can convince Severus to be our secret keeper." James rolled his eyes at that but she pressed on, "Dumbledore will tell him about the sacrifice and then Sev will betray us to gain favour with _Him_ and believe he is gaining me as a prize."

"You are not a prize Lily." James interjected and now it was her turn to roll her eyes.

"I know that James. But what do you think? Could it work?"

"That is a lot of variables love. How will we know when the attack is."

"Sev would tell me when to get out or invite me to meet him alone. If that happens then you and I leave and Charlus comes."

"That type of deception would destroy any chance of you and him rekindling your friendship." Not that James really wanted that.

"If he betrays us in the hopes of you and Harry being sacrificed and murdered then we were never really friends. If he values what we had more than that we have a secret keeper who won't betray us."

"That also would mean whoever is the traitor amongst us could not be the one to gain favour for betraying our location. But would he come here? Would he come here before informing the Dark Lord of our location?"

"We could meet in neutral ground. We could ask Dumbledore to perform the charm at Hogwarts and let his 'brilliant' mind work out how best to sacrifice us and to gain Severus as a spy in exchange for me."

"That could work. Let's go to my parents tomorrow and if we can't change my dad's mind then we will run the plan by them." James said resigned. Lily knew that he would never want to put this much faith in Severus but they didn't have any other options.

AN:

Again, sorry for the long wait! This is a bit shorter of a chapter but I wanted to get the aftermath right (and I hope I did). Tell me, what do you think of Lily's plan?

M.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 _January 31, 1981_

Hogwarts Castle

Lily looked up at the castle that meant so much to here. Here was where she had grown up and fallen in love and made friends with so many people who were now dead. Last night Sirius had managed to call on the mirror to inform them that the Prewett twins had fallen. She remembered the two trouble makers when they had been two years above her at school. She would never forget the time they had turned the entire castle maroon to celebrate some quidditch win or another. She hoped desperately that their spirits would live on, perhaps in the twins now wreaking havoc in Molly and Arthur's home. She never particularly liked Molly Prewett but she stilled mourned for her and the loss her family was now suffering through.

As Lily made her way up to the castle she relished being out of the cottage for the first time in a month. She paused seeing two students sneaking off towards the lake to enjoy an night time stroll by the lake on the surprisingly mild Saturday evening. Smiling she thought back to all the times that she had done just that. First with Severus when they were too young to let house and blood issues divide them, then with a shy and quiet boy from Ravenclaw who had been her first kiss, then with Remus-just as friends - as she and he had bonded in 5th year discussing prefect duties and he allowed her to rage about how insufferable James was, and finally the many times she and James had snuck away to the little glen on the edge of the water. She looked up at the stars shining brightly as she remembered the other first that had occurred in that glen on a secret walk around the lake. She hoped the young couple would be smart enough to use warming charms, and contraceptive potions, Merlin knows what Poppy Pomfery would do to them if they ended up in her Hospital Wing not only frost bitten but also pregnant.

Pulling her cloak around her tighter she hurried along the path to the court yard. Tonight was not for reminiscing despite needing to speak to a former friend. Minerva had arranged for her to come tonight as Dumbledore was preoccupied with the board of Governors discussing plans of defence in case Voldemort decided to attack the castle. Lily thought it was unlikely that _he_ would come here until his victory was sure over the wizarding world but she supposed it never hurt to be cautious.

"Lily," Minerva said as she arrived through the front doors, "finally my dear girl, I was beginning to worry."

"I apologize Aunt Minnie, we had a small celebration for Harry turning 6 months today and it went a bit longer than anticipated."

"It is quite alright. Come now let's get you out of the cold. How are Harry and James?" Minerva said as she guided Lily inside. The castle was quiet due to the late hour but Lily wouldn't risk telling McGonagall anything important or regarding the plans for fear of spying eyes and ears.

"Oh they are well, today we had the Longbottoms and some other friends over. Harry and Neville will be best friends Alice and I are sure of it. Though James and Cyrus Greengrass are convinced little Daphne and Harry will be married one day. It was all Claudia and I could do to prevent them from forming a drunken marriage contract before Christmas." she paused in her updates checked her watch and gave Minerva a meaningful look, "James has been left with not only Harry to look after but an intoxicated Sirius as well. I'm afraid I cannot spend too much time here for tea or I may not have a home when I get back."

"Oh the children will surprise you that is for ceritan. I don't think anyone would have guessed that you all would have ended up as you did. I mean the thought of a Black in Gryffindor alone was almost enough to knock my socks off and I was a much younger woman then too. I'm sure Little Harry and Neville will give their fathers a run for their money and finish turning my hair grey." Minerva smiled at the young mother hoping that her plans would see to it that both boys would grow up with their parents unlike the poor Bones girl who would be too young to even remember her own parents. "Come in there dear I thought it would be a perfect place for tea with a view of the lake."

They approached a door at the base of the west tower. In the room were 4 comfortable arm chairs, a large fire place, a tray with the tea service, and indeed floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the lake. Most importantly there were no portraits, no suits of armour, and no other connecting doors or secret passages. Clearly, Lily mused, this was not the first time a professor of Hogwarts wanted to keep the contents of a meeting a secret for prying eyes.

"You came" a quiet voice came from one of the arm chairs.

"Of course she came Severus, she was the one who asked you here after all." Minerva said briskly.

"Hello Sev, long time no see." Lily said with a sigh and a smile at her former friend.

"Why am I here Lily?" he asked without standing up or turning to the two women.

Minerva motioned for Lily to take a seat and handed her a cup of tea before fixing her self a cup as well. She took a sip and silently thanked the elf who prepared it with a bit of firewhiskey.

Lily looked at her former friend for the first time in 3 and a half years. He was in all black but looked haunted. "How have you enjoyed teaching? I never would have guessed that you would have taken over for Professor Slughorn?" she asked politely.

"Why am I here, Mrs. Potter" he asked again coldly.

"Ah, formalities then." She sighed. "Well Professor Snape I am here to ask where your allegiance currently resides. Are you a spy for Dumbledore or the Dark Lord or perhaps both?"

Snape looked at her blankly. So she continued.

"There was once a time where your allegiance was with me but I doubt you would ally with a mudblood. Not with that mark on your arm." She saw him flinch at the words.

"I will only ask again. Why. Am. I. Here." He sneered.

"I know for a fact that the Dark Lord is coming for my son. He will enter my home and murder my husband and myself and then he will kill my child. He has done it before to countless other families and he will do it to mine. I know that you know this and I know that you know why my family has been targeted." She paused watching the colour drain from his face, "I also suspect from the various information I have been able to gather that you are part of the reason as to why this will happen. So again I will ask you. Who holds your allegiance?"

"I cannot tell you that" Snape said quietly looking at the floor. It was a secret that would cost him more than his own life. It would cost her life if he ever divulged it.

Minerva snorted into her tea. "You think Severus that we do not know you are now one of Dumbledore's pawns? You think that we do not know that you, a 21 year old, is only here teaching because Dumbledore wants to keep you close? Perhaps it is for your protection boy but do not think those of us who know the signs do not see the summons that _he_ sends or that you always seem to go running when _he_ calls. Be honest now. Whose spy are you really. _His_ or Dumbledore's?"

"I cannot tell you that" Snape said again quietly, "I cannot tell you anything, I cannot do anything, and I cannot promise you anything. You should go Lily."

"I will leave after you answer one last questions I have and with any luck you will never have to see me again" Snape nodded at her request. "What day are they coming for my son?"

James was pacing around the cottage with Sirius passed out on the couch. James was pacing for 2 reasons, (1) Harry loved zooming around the house and (2) Lily was late. He hated that she was out there unprotected. Yes, Hogwarts was safe and yes, Lily could handle herself but after the Prewett news he was on edge. Thankfully they had talked themselves out of involving Dumbledore and asking Snape to be their secret keeper.

The news that Snape was now the new potions master had caused he and Lily to do some digging into good ol' snivillus's actions and they had found out that he was in the Hog's Head the night Sybil told Dumbledore the prophecy and then suddenly a few weeks later he was a teacher at Hogwarts. Minerva had reported to his father that Snape would often leave at random times and could be gone for days at a time leaving the castle without a potions master. Minerva said that alone would have be grounds for termination let alone the way he treats children but Dumbledore turns a deaf to all complaints and evidence against Snape so he must be working as a spy for Dumbledore, though Sirius is convinced that he is a spy for Voldemort on Dumbledore. Dumbledore was too manipulative and concerned with the greater good to be trusted and no one knew Snape's loyalties so Lily had gone for tea and to assess the situation for herself because Merlin knows if he had gone Snivillus and he would have dueled. Lily was more diplomatic.

"Anything yet mate" Sirius said opening one eye to look at his friend. The pacing was making Sirius dizzy. This was the last time he would ever eat anything made by Claudia Greengrass. Cyrus must have an iron stomach to survive that woman's cooking.

"Nothing yet. Merlin I wish I had one of those clocks the Prewetts make." James said looking at his wrist watch again. He looked back at Sirius and the bucket beside his best friend. "How is the stomach Padfoot?"

"Wouldn't work," said Sirius closing his eyes again, "Before everything happened Fabian told me that they were getting clocks returned to them because every hand is stuck on mortal peril." Groaning he wretched into the bucket again, "Lily will blame this on the gin but did anyone else touch the clam? How is Cryus alive right now?"

James looked at his best friend in the world and debating telling him that Alice Longbottom had put a nausea educing powder on his dinner in retribution to him saying that pregnancy can't have been that bad. He decided that against it though. Alice was almost as scary as Lady Longbottom Sr.

At half past one he felt Lily pass through the wards and into the garden. Sirius and Harry were both asleep and he was sitting at their little kitchen table trying to convince Hazel that he wasn't a bad person for withholding the true cause of his vomiting.

"James?" he signed at the sound of her voice finally relaxing for the first time in hours.

"In the kitchen" he softly called out to her as he stood to pour them both a knuckle's length of firewhiskey. He didn't know what she had to say but he did know that they would both need a drink before discussing it. He stood in the doorway watching her check on Harry in his bassinet and Sirius on the couch before heading into the kitchen.

"What happened?" He immediately asked as soon as he saw how pale she was. "Did he try something? I'll kill him, I should have killed him years ago. I'm leaving. I'll fix this-"

"James. He told me the date. They have the date picked out." He stopped at that and turned back to her.

"When?"

"October 31st" She took a sip of the firewhiskey wincing as it burned her throat, "We have 9 months to prepare and to say goodbye."

 **Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me?**

 **Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me?**

 **Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me?**

 **Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Did you miss me?**

 _ **(Yes I am channelling my inner Moriarty there)**_

I am back writing! I hope you enjoy this chapter, some of you seemed concerned about Snape last chapter and while I hope some of this chapter has eased your minds don't forget that I have a few tricks up my sleeves. I am going to try to refrain from too much bashing. As you can probably tell in this story Dumbledore is not really trusted by the Potters and some of their allies. Also in this fic McGonagall is cousins with James' grandmother Amelia which is why she is trusted by the Potters. I doubt that fact will be a huge moment in the story but I hope it will give some of you context as to why she is more aligned with the family and with Dumbledore.

Sorry for the long break! Already working on the next chapter.

M.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

July 31, 1981

 _Dear Padfoot,_

 _Thank you, thank you, for Harry's birthday present! It was his favourite by far. One year old and already zooming along on a toy broomstick, he looked so pleased with himself, I'm enclosing a picture so you can see. You know it only rises about two feet off the ground, but he nearly killed the cat and he smashed a horrible vase Petunia sent me for Christmas (no complaints there). Of course, James thought it was funny, says he's going to be a great Quidditch player, but we've had to pack away all the ornaments and make sure we don't take our eyes off him when he gets going._

 _We had a very quiet birthday tea, just us and old Bathilda, who has always been sweet to us, and who dotes on Harry. We were so sorry you couldn't come, but the Order's got to come first, and Harry's not old enough to know it's his birthday anyway! James is getting a bit frustrated shut up here, he tries not to show it but I can tell - also, Dumbledore's still got his Invisibility Cloak, so no chance of little excursions. If you could visit, it would cheer him up so much. Wormy was here last weekend, I thought he seemed down, but that was probably the news about the McKinnons; I cried all evening when I heard._

 _Bathilda drops in most days, she's a fascinating old thing with the most amazing stories about Dumbledore, I'm not sure he'd be pleased if he knew! I don't know how much to believe, actually, because it seems incredible that Dumbledore could ever have been friends with Gellert Grindelwald. I think her mind's going, personally!_

 _Lots of love,_

 _Lily*_

Lily quickly read over her letter to Sirius one last time before putting the picture that she had taken of Harry on the broom in the envelope. Once it was all sealed, she set it on the little table by the door to go out when their owl returned from delivering a similar letter to Remus. For some reason, they couldn't write to Peter anymore because half of the time their owl, Sadie, returned without having delivered it. She had hoped the marauders could have come together to celebrate Harry's birthday, but Dumbledore and the war had been keeping them all apart. Dumbledore too was becoming a problem as of late. With October coming ever closer she and James had now asked three times for his cloak to be returned, but every time Dumbledore was disinclined to respond. Honestly, as much as she had respected the man, she was starting to understand why Charlus despised him so much.

She looked out the window to the back garden and saw Harry, who had just begun walking four days ago, tottering off trying to catch Hazel who seemed to be allowing him to play a sweet game of cat and mouse. She could hear James under the window shuffling through the papers his father sent over every morning. She knew he did not enjoy the work, but both of them were glad for how busy it kept him.

She wished she was as busy, yes taking care of Harry was a job unto itself, but she had been unable to convince Professor Slughorn to continue her potions mastery with her as he had gone into hiding since Severus had taken over his position.

It really had been a quiet birthday for Harry, Alice had written that Neville had had a similarly dreary first birthday. Her heart broke for the little witches and wizards who were growing up in such a fearful time.

She was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed how close Harry had gotten to Hazel until she heard the cat yowl and papers go flying as James rushed to save the cat from their son. Laughing and shaking her head at how much of a trouble maker harry already was she stood to go clean up James papers for him as he dealt with their little marauder. "He is going to be just like you" she teased her husband.

"Merlin I hope not. I was always counting on the fact that nurture might overrule nature when it came to my influence on the boy." James replied as he threw Harry up in the air, making the boy giggle as Hazel slinked back into the house.

"If I couldn't nurture away your wild ways Mr. Potter than how could you expect me to do so for our son? He is very sweet though and curious; Bathilda was saying that she sees a great deal of your father in him today while you were changing Harry. I still can hardly believe that she knew your father when he was in diapers."

"I can hardly believe what she said about Dumbledore this time. She didn't outright say it but did you catch the implication that he and Grindelwald were more than just friends!" James said, turning to her to see what she was doing. "Oh love, give me those. Did you finish your latest letter to Padfoot?"

She swapped him the papers for their little one-year-old son. Kissing his cheeks and whispering another little 'happy birthday' she watched James sort his papers back into order. "What did he send you this time love?"

"Just more of the same, Wizengamot policies that we need to decide how to vote on, updates on the family holdings, prospective investment opportunities, arrangement for a meeting with the goblins to ensure that Harry's trust is set up with our wills, and mom and dad's wills are in there, copies of the wills, and a draft of his portrait." He showed her the still of his father looking intimidating in deep red robes with gold trim. "Mum said that he will smile if she has anything to say about it and that he is an arse for wearing Gryffindor colours and that she will proudly represent Slytherin so that the future offspring of the house know that they do not have to be bumbling babbling buffoons with no intelligence."

Lily snorted at her mother in laws words. Personally, she felt that the houses ended up doing more harm than good by imposing stereotypes on to children at such a young age but who was she to insult a 1000 year tradition. "Well, your father does look handsome and stately. I'm sure he wouldn't have it any other way. Will it go into the castle right away when it is complete?"

"No he and mum decided that it would be best in the vaults should the absolute worst happens and the castle is attacked while we are there." James sat down again, preparing to dive back into the work his position demanded of him but was interrupted by his lovely wife sitting on his lap and setting his papers aside.

Cuddling her husband and a drowsy Harry she leaned back and whispered: "Can we set this all aside for tonight and just watch the stars come out?"

James wrapped his arms around the two people that meant the world to him. Today had been a good day, one of the few good days they had had in the last six months. One of the papers he had not told Lily about was a dedication to the children of the war who would be growing up without parents and trusts that would help fund their educations and new lives. He had tried to have the plans solidified for today, but he and his father were still reaching out to the other noble families on both sides to join in the funding pool and needed to decide on a location for the monument.

"James…" Lily began. There was a thought pressing on her mind, but she was afraid of his response.

"Yes?"

"Never mind," She said quickly not wanting to ruin Harry's first birthday which had been so lovely.

"Lily please, you can tell me and ask me, anything love." He shifted Lily in his lap, so he was able to look at her face. He looked down at Harry now nestled between them fast asleep without a scar or blemish on his perfect little face.

"What if I'm wrong. What if while we are waiting for the attack He comes and kills them both, and we were all fools for listening to me. What if we are right? How do I explain to Harry that he doesn't have any grandfathers because of me? What if he hates me? What do we tell people outside of the family? James what if I am wrong. What happens to Him after his curse doesn't work? What if he decides to murder your dad and smothers Harry or drops him from a window instead of using the curse. What if Severus lied to me? What if the spy finds out that we know? Who is the spy? James these unknowns are killing me." Lily didn't mean to word vomit all over her husband and by the way he tensed, he did not realize what exactly he was going to say.

"Lily, don't scoff when I ask this but have you ever been wrong about anything in your life?" James asked, looking down at his wife, watching her eyes flash in annoyance.

"You're not taking me seriously" she snapped, pulling away from him.

He held on tighter, "I am love, but we can't know for certain, and you said it yourself that this was Harry's best and only chance. Also, he could never hate you; no one could ever hate you – hell even Sirius's father respects you and your intelligence and grace. We have studied His style, and we know how he attacks. He is many things, but he is not unpredictable when it comes to his style. As for the spy, we can't turn our backs on each other. Remus, Sirius, and Peter have all blamed the others in some way or form, but I refuse to believe that our best friends would do that. It would be like Alice, Claudia, Marlene and Lucille blaming each other. I can't see how any of our friends could betray us, after all, we have been through already. As for Severus, as much as he and I have despised each other and how little I still trust him, I can't see him lying to you. He loves you too much – which I still hate by the way."

Lily sighed, thinking about their friends. Life was going to be so different without Marlene. She didn't know how Remus was coping. He and Marlene had dated before the war had escalated and they broke up because of his missions for Dumbledore. She knew that they had planned on getting back together after the war was over, and life was easier.

Trying to salvage the night and drive away the dark thoughts that would keep her awake later, she asked James a new question and settled back into her husband. "Remember that time Sirius accidentally dyed the whole of Gryffindor's house hair red after the house elves betrayed him trying to prank the Hufflepuffs because he was annoyed at Alice for declining him again? What did he do to piss off the elves?"

She felt James chuckle more than she heard it. She looked up at him and said "Well?"

"Well, it all started with the time he thought he would help in the kitchen by doing dishes and ends with the kitchen being filled from floor to ceiling with bubbles." She snuggled into him, shifting Harry, so he was more comfortable in her arms and stared down at her baby. Her and James's laughing at Sirius's antics was gently disturbing the sleeping boy, so she rocked and shooshed him. He did eventually wake up as she jolted forward snorting as James described how the house elves had trapped Sirius in a soap bubble as they swam through the bubbles trying to set the kitchen in order and make a new supper that wouldn't taste like soap.

Harry looked up at his parents and the stars and listened to the familiar voices above him. A shooting star flew overhead that only he saw, not that he knew what it was. This kind of night is what the many people who adored him wished would be his first memory. Him being held and loved with not a worry in the world. Unfortunately, this night would be forgotten to time by the three Potters and the wish held in the shooting star would go unused. Harry's first memory will not be love and security, but if all went according to plan, perhaps his life would hold both.

* * *

Three different owls raced for the cottage where the Potter's resided. 2 holding news of more death and one containing the answer to the question that had haunted Lily for months. The last insights of a seer written minutes before she was attacked in her home.

 _My dearest Lily,_

 _How is Harry? Did he have a good birthday? I have included a birthday card for him and small gift._

 _I am afraid I have had another vision, this time one of betrayal. For many years I have been unable to see past this night but today I was looking in the orb seeking my own answers when I came across something that answers a question of yours. You have been betrayed Lily, more accurately you and James, I have just seen Peter dinning with the Lestranges and the Malfoys. I know that this will not seem like firm evidence to anyone but you but please take this as a warning against one you had long trusted in._

 _I have always valued our friendship and I hope that you, James, and Harry lead long and fulfilling lives._

 _Your friend,_

 _Sybill_

 _PostScript._

 _The memory is for Harry as a birthday gift. I think he might find it amusing one day. No peeking._

Shortly after writing this letter, death eaters came and attempted to torture Sybill for the full prophecy. In the 20 minutes the seer was alone with Crabbe and Nott they ripped at her mind and magical core until only the barest hint of her once reliable gift was intact. The Order had only heard when Sirius had arrived looking to check in on his friend who was known to have reclusive tendencies. He had attempted to fight Nott and Crabbe but they disapparated without the knowledge they had been looking for but with their lives…for now.

Sirius held his friend as the Order and healers came. He had thought Dumbledore was going to protect her, set upwards, and ensure that no one could get to her. Sybill only kept muttering "I didn't tell, I didn't tell, I didn't tell" over and over again as her eyes remained unfocused.

* * *

 ***Excerpt is taken from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling.**

 **Thank you for all the favourites, follows, and reviews! They really help with knowing when I need to correct something and are good little motivators to get a new chapter out. I also like hearing if you like what is going on or think I'm off my rocker. My current plan is to do a time jump or year change ever 10 chapters; if you find that outlandish please do let me know.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

 **M.**

 **PS. A previous version of this chapter has been removed due to a weird coding issue. It has been fixed!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

August 31, 1981

Hogwarts

"Where is he?" James exclaimed in frustration while pacing Dumbledore's office.

Albus sighed. The Order had been searching for Peter for the past month to no avail. Not even Severus knew where he was, granted one could only trust a spy so much. "He will turn up James. The guilty can only hide from the Ministry and the Order for so long; they always pop up in the least expected places. They are rather like missing socks in that regard."

"Albus I have very little patience for you musings today. My family is at risk. My friend has betrayed me. Nothing is happening. Do you know when the attack will be?" James doubted that he could get any actual truth from Dumbledore but what could it hurt to try. The family had been unable to talk his father out of his plan to sacrifice himself. Lupin had said considering how he and Lily had both volunteered that perhaps stubbornness and self-sacrifice was a Potter trait. James couldn't disagree. He had been working behind Lily and Sirius's back to try to orchestrate a chance for his father to live and to sacrifice himself. He just needed one missing piece to his plan.

Dumbledore sighed again. He really did have a library of sighs thought James.

"If I knew of the Dark Lord's plans, I would tell you and save your family. Have you put in the appropriate protections?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. I will not elaborate on them. Even here, there are ears listening." Said James with a look at the sleeping portraits and sorting hat. He could have sworn he heard a scoff come from the hat.

While Dumbledore looked disapproving at the young father's lack of trust, he couldn't fault the boy. These were dark times indeed. Especially for the Potter family...and Longbottoms but James didn't seem aware of that he decided. "James, what is the purpose of this visit? Surely you are not here to ask about the upcoming school year or only about our wayward Peter."

"I have come to ask for my family's cloak back. You have had it long enough."

Dumbledore was taken aback. He was reluctant to part with the Hallow after only 5 months of studying it and using it. "I am afraid I cannot return it to you at this time. There is still too much to learn from the garment."

"You misunderstand my politeness in asking, professor. It is my cloak and is a tool that can be used to protect my son. I will not leave here without it." James stopped his agitated pacing to stare down at the man who had been his mentor for so many years. Dumbledore's eyes flashed with an emotion that James couldn't recognize. After a long moment, Dumbledore stood.

James tensed. Worried for a moment that the older wizard might challenge him to a duel but instead, Dumbledore walked over to a chest that James hadn't previously noticed and opened it. Inside James could make out some moving photographs of two young men, a young woman, and what looked like some journals. Underneath it, all was his family's invisibility cloak. Dumbledore looked pained as he handed it to James. After another tense moment, during which Fawkes let out a mournful cry before flying out the open window, Dumbledore returned to his desk. "What do you intend to use the cloak for?"

James set his jaw and stood up straighter. "To protect my family."

* * *

September came and went in a blur as had most of October. Charlus and Dorea often visited the young parents who were even busier now that Harry was toddling around trying to get into as much trouble as possible. Lily and the elder Potters had noticed that James was becoming more and more reserved now that he had the cloak in his possession. He would often be gone for hours at a time and return only to fall asleep after giving his mother, Lily, and harry all swift kisses.

It was late October, and James was currently gone now as Lily and Harry played in the unseasonably warm weather. It had been 28 hours since she had last heard from her husband and she was doing her very best not to panic. She had contacted Sirius last night to inform him that James had been gone for over 12 hours without contacting her to which he told her that James would be fine but that he would try to track him down.

She was worried. Harry had only a few words in his arsenal but 'Dadada' was one of his favourites and he had been calling out for his father since bedtime last night. Harry was growing more and more agitated without his father or uncles around. Hazel had actually tried to sleep with the crying boy last night only to be rewarded with having her tail being yanked. The Kneazle was now wisely hiding.

"Mama. Dadada!" Harry yelled as he saw a broom and wanted to fly. He raced toward it only to be thwarted by his overly cautious and worried mother. She had tried to use one of the mirrors to contact him and Sirius, but neither was answering.

They had battled Voldemort 3 times now and survived, but they were never away from Harry this long. Even when they had tried to get away for a weekend right after he had been born they had rushed back to Bowater Castle after only being away from their son 12 hours.

"Lily?" A voice came from the house.

She stood so fast that it surprised Harry out of his "Dadada" chanting. "James?!"

A tall figure with messy hair stood at the back door in silhouette. As the figure stepped out into the light of the back garden, Lily deflated as her father in law came forward.

"PAPA!" Yelled Harry, and he did his very best to wriggle out of his mother's arms and run to his grandfather. Lily keeping her hold on the squirming boy felt tears come to her eyes.

"No news from my son I take it?" Charlus asked as he reached for the boy.

"Nothing. Charlus what has gotten into him. He has never been gone this long without contacting me before. Now I can't reach Sirius. I don't know what to do."

"Minerva says that Dumbledore is unaware of whatever mission he went on. Dorea has her contacts at St. Mungo's on high alert for James. Orion has some of his darker underlings on watch for the boys. You have your mirror. When there is something to know, we are in a position to know it."

"You can't be telling me that no news is good news Charlus." Lily snapped.

"Not exactly. But no news is not bad news." Charlus looked at his daughter in law and noted her rumpled clothing, tangled hair, and the bags under her eyes. "When did you last sleep, Lily?"

"I catch a few hours here and there. Mainly when Harry takes his naps." she looked down as she said this.

"When did you sleep a full night last? Harry has been sleeping through the night for months now. He can't be your excuse."

"It is hard to sleep when James is often gone when I fall asleep or wake up." She sighed and cracked her fingers. It was something she only did when she was under extreme stress. She remembered Claudia Highsmith, now Greengrass, jinxing her fingers locked during OWLS and NEWTS when Lily's nervous habit began to annoy her. Ravenclaws and their studies were less intense than Claudia remarked Aurora - an actual Ravenclaw who could speak as an expert on the matter.

"Why don't you go to sleep. I will stay up with Harry and tell him a few stories about my prime." Charlus suggested.

Lily rolled her eyes "You are only 42 Charlus. Hardly out of your prime and into old age" her slight grin vanished though. If Charlus sacrificed himself, he wouldn't ever enter into old age. She straightened. "Why don't I make the two of you some lunch."

Charlus began to protest. "After we eat, I promise that I will shower and try to take a nap."

Appeased Charlus remained in the Garden with Harry telling him stories of battles and dark wizards losing to brave wizards who fought for what was right even if it wasn't easy. He told Harry of how he and Dorea had fallen in love and how love was the most precious gift that could be given. He told Harry how love had saved him and how love will save Harry. He told Harry about how his parents fell in love and admitted to being wary of the strong, fierce, and intelligent woman that had captivated his son. He told Harry about what it means to be a Potter and the legacy that will sit on his shoulders for the rest of his life. Then he gave the captivated little boy a small ring on a necklace that had a tiny Potter crest on it - and an anti-choking charm for good measure.

What Charlus didn't know was that Lily heard it all from the open window in the kitchen. Had watched it all and had taken the memory and stored it in a little vial that she would keep with her until she went to Bowater castle next.

She called Charlus in for some soup and buns. She fed Harry as Charlus ate his fill.

"How are you, Lily?" He asked the young mother.

"Oh I'm fine. Worried is all."

Charlus was too dignified to snort, he was a Lord, after all, he, however, was not too dignified to scoff.

"What?" Lily said defensively.

"Your friends are slowing being sent into hiding or killed. That seer friend of yours was recently attacked and nearly tortured into insanity. Your husband is rarely home during a war, and you haven't heard from him in over a day. You are not fine. No one would be fine after all that."

"What am I supposed to say? That I'm scared! That I'm angry! That every second James is gone, I become more and more panicked! That while I love my son, I hate that I can't go after James and help him!" Her face was going red as she became angrier. "That someone I love will die to save my son! That a lunatic is coming after my family! That I am useless and cannot do anything to protect those that I love! How is any of that helpful? That my parents were killed because I was their daughter!"

Charlus stood and gave his daughter in law a hug and held her as she sobbed. Harry, upon seeing his mother upset, started to cry too, which caused her to pull away from Charlus and comfort her son.

Kneeling beside her son with tears slowly coming down her face, she sighed.

"It's not-" Charlus began only to be interrupted by a loud crack as James apparated into the kitchen.

"Lily! Dad! They are coming."

 **Sorry for the long wait between updates! I am still working on it and active on here!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next!**

 **M.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I couldn't leave you all on that cliffhanger for too long. I also may be avoiding adulting.**

 **M.**

Chapter 8

 _October 31, 1981_

Lily froze. Now? Already? Why now? What was significant about today?

"James" Her father in law's voice unfroze her and she looked at her husband. He was covered in mud and-

"Is that blood on you?" she asked. "Where have you been?"

"There's no time for that now. This is our chance, Lily. You and Dad need to get out of here." James was rushing around the room Grabbing her cloak and emergency bag for her.

"What are you talking about James. You are not staying." She exclaimed. Harry still in her arms started to cry again at the tension in the room.

"Lily, Harry needs you and Dad. The blood magic has the best chance of working with a parent not a grandparent. You need to go now." James had a wild look in his eyes. Why wouldn't she understand? There was no time.

"James Fleamont Potter," his father's voice boomed causing everyone, even Harry, to stop talking and to look at him. "You do not barge in here and -"

"This is my house!" James protested.

"Do not interrupt me, son. You do not barge in here, after panicking your wife and tell her that you are going to take my place in the sacrifice. That is not a reasonable course of action."

"I-" James looked at Lily and really saw how wrecked she looked.

"I am not finished. You are not the head of this family yet and as such is it not up to you who will be the sacrifice." James looked thunderous at that.

"He is my son. I will do what I must to protect my family."

"You are my son. I will do what I must to ensure the survival of our family line." The two Potter men stared at each other furiously until James felt little arms wrap around his leg.

"Dadada" James looked down and saw his tearful son clinging to him.

"James, how long do we have?" Lily asked. She sat down trying to process. He was coming. Today.

"I have been tracking the Death Eaters these past few weeks now that I have the cloak. I was able to get onto the Malfoy grounds and hide until they had a meeting. I heard the plan. They are attacking three families tonight before us to spread the Order thin. The Weasleys, the Abbotts, and the Smiths have all been alerted and moved to Hogwarts with a glamour left in their place. Padfoot assured me of it. But when they have been foiled three times tonight there will be no mercy when they arrive. I don't know when but soon." James looked at his wife hoping she would understand.

"Why didn't you tell me that was what you were doing? You could have been killed. No one could find you and I couldn't leave." Lily could feel her temper starting to rise.

"Lily, those are excellent questions but now is not the time. Is the portkey ready? How fast will you be able to return once that attack has started? Who will stand with you? Who do you trust?" Charlus remained stoic. He and Dorea had said their goodbyes and agreed that she would stay away until the dust settled to ensure that if the worst happened Harry would have at least one person who loves him survive.

James and Lily stared at Charlus. Who did they trust?

"We trust family."

"Good. Now their pattern is not to attack until night. The intelligence that you have gathered James would suggest that we have until this evening to prepare. Lily you need to prepare the runes that will mark the sacrifice. James you need to contact those that are trusted and have them meet you at Bagshot's. Her home is aptly located and I have it on good authority that she is currently in France seeing an old friend. I will contact your mother and inform her of your safety and that she needs to apparate to the cottage on the Isle of Skye." Charlus turned away from the young family and went into the back garden. The time had come. He was to greet death as his ancestor had - with open arms.

Inside the kitchen James, Lily, and Harry paused looking out the window at Charlus who stood like a statue in the garden.

James looked at Lily and asked, "What do you need from me?"

He had disappointed her; he had left her for days; when he was home he hadn't been present; he had tried to become the sacrifice himself. There was only one thing he could do.

"Live." With that Lily went up to Harry's nursery to prepare the runes needed for the ritual and to pack a few precious mementos that wouldn't be noticeable if they were gone.

 **"Emmy" James called out from the living room.**

With a *POP* Emmy appeared in the little living room of the cottage.

"What can Emmy do for Mister James Sir?" she asked.

"I need you to go ensure that Bathilda Bagshot is not currently home then I need you to find Sirius. If he is alone and in a safe position have him come directly here. Tell him that it is nearly time." With another *POP* Emmy was gone. He looked around the little cottage that he and Lily had been living in for months. The place where Harry had taken his first steps, rode his first broom, said his first word. Nothing could be taken or Voldemort would know that he had been had.

"Prongs" Sirius walked through the front door dressed for battle in the Black Family duelling robes. "Who else is coming? Moony? Andy and Ted? Frank and Alice? Mad-Eye? Fleamont and Marie?"

"I haven't called anyone else yet. After Peter who outside the family can we trust?" James said. "Also it is a full moon tonight. Moony is out of commission for this one."

Sirius nodded. "How many of the bastards will come do you think?"

"Realistically? With the other attacks that will happen tonight, I reckon just Him. If we are unlucky he will bring a force with him but considering his arrogance I'm fairly confident saying it will only be him tonight." James sat down on the couch. Harry was still clinging to his legs so he picked up the little boy. Merlin, he hoped that Harry would never remember this night.

"Do you think we will have to fight? What will Lily's ritual do exactly? Does Aurora even know? She was the one who pointed her in that direction right?" Sirius conjured a little black dog stuffy for Harry that immediately delighted the sad little boy.

"Pafooo" Harry grabbed the soft toy and hugged it with all the force of a one-year-old.

"He's worth it all," Sirius said with a slight grin.

"He is" Charlus' voice came from the back doorway. "Go get cleaned up son. Then we need to share a few words before you depart. Who else is coming besides the dog?"

Sirius grinned at his uncle and adoptive father figure. "Am I not enough uncle?"

"No," Charlus said simply.

"Right. Well, I'll call Andy and Ted. Are we keeping it in the family only? Do we want to have someone on the outside call the aurors or order when the attack starts? Control the aftermath?"

"Have your father call the aurors. I don't want Dumbledore and his lot anywhere near this or Harry. He cannot get his hands on that boy before you, James, and Lily return. Have Minerva keep him in the castle tonight." Charlus' mind was going through all possibilities of how this could fail.

While watching his uncle think through the strategy it dawned on Sirius that this was one of his last conversations with Charlus. He walked over to him and engulfed him in a hug and whispered "Thanks for everything pops. I'll do what I can to keep them out of trouble."

With a chuckle, Charlus patted the young man on the back. "You always seemed better at keeping you and James in trouble."

The two men ended their embrace. "Go Sirius. Go get the others and wait at Bathilda's and for Merlin's sake don't break anything."

Sirius nodded at James. James may be at a loss for who to trust but Sirius had a few ideas of who would answer the call.

* * *

Charlus looked at his son. "We need to talk."

James looked up from Harry. He had been trying to give Sirius and his father a bit of privacy. "Yes, we do."

"First I will talk and you will listen," began Charlus. "You will take your wife to safety and stay there with her. You will not come back here and prevent my sacrifice. This is the last order I will give you as head of the House. Am I clear?"

"Yes, father" James had set his jaw. In all his years his father had only issued him 3 orders as head of the Potters. He was unable to disobey.

"Good. Now I have left letters for you, Lily, your mother, and Harry in my personal Vault at Gringotts. The Goblins have my last will and testament. It was updated on Harry's birthday. As heir, you will need to ascend to head within 7 days of my death or forfeit the position to Fleamont and his daughter Eloide. I gave Harry his heir ring today. It has a variety of protections on it which will be activated after the ritual. It should help hide him from the likes of Dumbledore and those who would use him for their own benefit. Never have him take it off."

James didn't say anything. He had tried for the past month to avoid this conversation with his father. He had gone to every contact to find a way to kill Voldemort or to sacrifice himself to no avail. He had failed his family and now his father would die.

"Stop" James looked up at his father's word. "You have not failed. I made this choice James. You know the story of our cloak. I will meet that long awaited friend with open arms as every Peverall before me has. It is an honour to die to protect my son and grandson. It is a gift that I can and am willing to give."

"It should be me." James said.

"It shouldn't. It won't be you. How were you raised James?" Charlus looked at his son and saw him struggling with the answer.

"I was taught family before all else."

"That was not the question James."

"He was raised with love and support." Came a voice from the stairs. Lily walked over and sat beside James.

"Yes he was. It is to you to raise Harry in the same fashion." Charlus smiled down at the fierce beauty who had captivated the family. Lily had now been cowed by the Potters or the Blacks. She had not conformed but had brought new spark and light to the family while honouring their traditions.

"Lily," James began, she looked at him and he continued when he saw her eyes soften. "Sirius asked an interesting question earlier and I am embarrassed that none of us have asked yet. What is going to happen tonight. How does the ritual work. What will happen to Him?"

"Ah, well you see I don't exactly know."

"What!"

"Hear the girl out James." Charlus had asked Lily these questions and she had been able to answer.

"Okay well here's what will definitely happen. When the Dark Lord arrives and tears down the wards surrounding the house we will be notified. As members of the house and having out blood tied into the wards you, Harry, and I will feel as they come down. I imagine the shock will cause Harry to cry from his crib upstairs where the runes have been drawn behind paintings and under the area rug. Your father," she gestured at Charlus, "will appear to have been sleeping on the rocking chair and will act surprised when the Dark Lord follows Harry's cries upstairs. It is imperative that Charlus does not cast a spell against the Dark Lord as it would cause the magic to recognize that he is not a willing sacrifice. After it happens He will cast the curse on Harry. Due to the nature of the ritual and the power of the runes the curse will rebound off Harry and onto the Dark Lord."

"Will this kill him?" James asked in awe; could they really end the war?

"I don't know. We have seen him get hit with curses that should kill a person before and survive. I really don't know what will happen after which is why we need to leave Bathinda's as soon as the wards fall. We can assume that the anti-apparition wards will be put up as soon as He arrives."

The four Potters went quiet. Dusk was falling. They would need to go soon. With a drowsy Harry in her arms Lily led the Potter men up into the nursery. She put Harry down in his crib, kissed his forehead and whispered. "Mama loves you Harry. You are so loved."

She turned to Charlus tears coming to her eyes. She rushed to embrace the man. "Thank you" she said into his chest.

He wrapped his arms around the young woman and whispered "No thank you Lily for helping turn James into the man he always had the potential of being, for Harry, and for opening my mind and heart."

She sobbed against his chest for another few minutes before James gently pulled her away.

"Dad, I-" James was cut off by his father hugging him.

"Follow your heart James, always fight for what is right, and live a long and happy life." Charlus hugged his only child for the last time. He was ready.

He released James and looked at his son and daughter in law. With a sad smile he said "Go. It is time."

* * *

James and Lily apparated to Bathilda Bagshot's little flat 2 blocks from the cottage. When they arrived they were shocked to find Andromeda and Ted Tonks, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Aurora Lovegood, Cyrus and Claudia Greengrass, Eloide Potter, and Lucille Davis.

"What?" James was at a loss for words. What were they all doing here. "Eloide? Frank?"

"Family is both blood and bonds James" Cyrus said. "When Black called and said family was needed we answered."

"But your children!" Lily cried looking at her friends."Eloide you are a child! You should not be here."

"Please Lily. Do not dishonour me by asking me to not stand with my family. We are Potters. We fight together." She tossed her blonde head as her hazel eyes flashed with annoyance.

"The children are safe Lily. Your child is not. If we called you would come," said Lucille.

"When we have called you have come," said Alice.

"Enough of this," Aurora looked around at her former classmates, "what do you need us to do?"

James and Lily looked at eachother. Since Peter's betrayal and Sybil's attack they had been so apprehensive to trust their friends and to contact anyone who did not share their name and blood. They had not wanted to risk anyone they loved or feel the sting of betrayal. Only Sirius who had had to learn that family was rarely those who you were born to would have pulled this group together.

"When the wards fall we need to surround the house. Take out any death eaters and ensure the safety of Harry. When we arrive it may not have happened yet or it may be over. Regardless only Lily and I will enter the house. You lot will need to secure the perimeter. Stay in pairs." James said to his friends. Sirius noted that James was standing taller as he took command, he looked older.

"Standard red sparks for trouble and green for the all clear?" asked Ted Tonks. Andromeda remained silent next to her husband. She and Sirius were well aware that they could end up fighting family tonight if the Dark Lord decides to bring his lieutenants.

"That will be fine," said Lily. She looked at Claudia, Lucielle, and Alice. Her closest friends had come and left their children for her. She didn't have words.

"While we are grateful for your friendship and for you coming to our aid. You will not make orphans of your children. If we are over numbered or the Dark Lord survives you all will save yourselves." James ordered.

"What!"

"No!"

"How dare you make such a request"

"It was not a request," Lily spoke over the protestating, "It may not come to that but if it does you must save yourselves. If James and I don't make it Harry will need you all."

"You better listen to her," said Cyrus, "I haven't seen her so serious -"

"I'm Sirius"

"- since James and I drunkenly drafted a marriage contract between Daphne and Harry."

"You what!" Shouted Alice Longbottom who while being the sweetest person any of them had known also had a penchant for gossip.

"Oh don't get your knickers in a bunch," Aurora laughed, "Lily and Claudia burned it and the rather expensive yet ugly table before the two morons could sign it in their blood."

A light chuckle ran through the group of friends.

Then Lily and James gasped out. The wards had fallen.

* * *

The group raced in pairs with Sirius and Lucille bringing up the back of the group. With James and Lily in the lead they were able to stupefy the two guards that had been left at the front of the house. The Greengrass's took care of binding them and standing guard at the front gate.

"Be careful there could be more" Called Frank. He and Alice took one side of the house while Andromeda and Ted raced for the back garden. Aurora and Eloide took the other side of the house to complete the border. Sirius would wait at the front door with Lucille while James and Lily ran inside.

*BOOM*

The house rocked in a flair of green light. A wall exploded above Alice and Frank who were trapped under the rubble.

James and Lily had been knocked down by the blow but quickly recovered and ran up the stairs. There was no sound coming from the nursery except for the fall of debris. Panicked Lily raced before James and froze as she entered the room.

Harry lay still in the crib with his eyes closed. On the floor in a spread eagle position lay Charlus. He appeared to have been attempting to block Voldemort from seeing Harry.

Lily raced passed her fallen father in law to her son. He was breathing but he was marked with an ugly lighting bolt gash on his forehead. James stood frozen looking at the scene from the doorway.

"James! Lily! You need to move! This place is going to collapse!" Sirius' voice called from below them where he was working with Andromeda to extricate the Longbottoms. "We need to get Frank to a Healer."

Lily looked behind her to her husband. He wasn't moving. He couldn't take his gaze from his father's body.

"Help!" She called out hoping that someone could hear her.

Cyrus raced up the stairs at Lily's call. "The Aurors are here" he told her. Looking at his friend he saw that James was in shock. In all their years and battles he had never seen James in shock before. He tried to grab him to guide him out of the unstable house but James shook off his grip. "Help me" he muttered and went to his father. Together he and Cyrus picked up the fallen Potter and carried him down the stairs with Lily and a sleeping Harry following.

The front of the house was utter chaos. Five death eaters lay bound and unconscious with a swarm of Aurors taking statements from the Potter's neighbours and friends.

Frank, Alice, and Eloide were being tended to by Andromeda and her fellow medi-witches and wizards.

Lucille was placing notice-me-not charms around the area to prevent the muggle police and civilians from approaching.

"Harry?" choked out James looking at his wife and son.

Before Lily could answer there was a loud crash behind them and the top floor collapsed down into the rest of the cottage. A orange blur streaked out of the property spooked. Ted caught up Hazel and tried to soothe the cat.

"Alive but I don't know how he is sleeping right now," said Lily.

James and Cryus lay his father down on the ground.

It had worked.

"There's something I don't understand." Claudia said.

"Just one thing?" asked her husband.

She rolled her eyes. "Where is Voldemort?"

"Gone" replied Lily.

"Dead?" Asked Ted.

"I doubt it." James looked back at the home that had held so many memories and around at the family and friends who had come to his aid. "We need to go before the Order arrives."

"We will deal with this, take Harry to your mother. She can check up on him." Cyrus clasped his friend on the shoulder.

James and Lily held on to each other and with a *pop* disappeared.

 **The attack happened! I know that I won't please everyone but I do hope that some of you liked it! The next chapter will follow these events then there will be a few chapters that will provide some insight into Harry's new childhood. It will take about 4 chapters if all goes according to plan before Harry receives his Hogwarts letter.**

 **As always thank you for the follows, favourites, and reviews!**

 **M.**


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